A 4.

2 Job description for Field Officer - example

Team and responsibilities
The Field Officer (FO) functions in a team comprising of other Field Officers and a
Documentation Officer (DO), all managed by the Field Supervisor (FS). The FO reports to the
Field Supervisor. The team works from the field office. The FO attends monthly team
meetings in the organic field office. Progress and any problems are reported and a plan
made how to solve them.
The FO is assigned to a certain area, a locality, a group of farmers for whom he/she is
responsible. The FO is expected to live in that area. The FO is not expected to be a farmer
unless it is a model farm. During the time of internal inspection (2 months of the year), the
FO may be transferred to the locality of a fellow FO.
The FO shall be a good representative of the exporter. This includes that the right information
from the exporter is communicated to the farmers, and that important information from the
farmers is fed back to the exporter (via the Field Supervisor). Good communication normally
means through contact farmers.
Assistance to farmers
The FO shall be responsible for correctly informing the farmers (men and women) of the
standards of organic production as laid down in the internal regulation. This means that
regularly, awareness and training workshops are held on demonstration farms, or otherwise.
The FO shall assist the farmers (men and women) in improving agricultural production in a
sustainable organic way. This may involve some experimentation on the demonstration farms
or on individual farms. The strategy for farm improvements is decided every year in the team.
The FO is to implement that strategy. The FO shall work with the farmers to produce
predominantly Grade 1 produce; picked at the right time in the right way, properly fermented,
washed and dried.
Responsibilities within the ICS
The FO shall implement the Internal Control System as described in the ICS manual. This
means that the FO is responsible that for each farm under his/her responsibility
correct information is available, updated from the Farm Entrance Form
producer contracts are signed
a proper yield estimate is done prior to harvest
an annual internal inspection is done
non-compliances from the internal inspection are followed-up
areas for improvements indicated during the internal inspection are addressed
Corrective Action Requests from the certification body are implemented
The documents under the FOs control are always kept dry and in a secure place.
Documents gone missing are reported instantly to the FS. The FO guards the organic
integrity of the farmers under his/her control. Failure to maintain organic status is a reason
for summary dismissal.
Responsibilities during marketing
During marketing, the FO shall
communicate prices and buying times to the farmers
monitor prices paid by the competition and report to the FS
advise farmers on logistics (storage, delivery)

confirm the identity of delivering farmers

assist the buying agent in establishing the quality grade
address substandard quality
investigate suspicions of over delivery and contamination

Equipment
Every three years, the FO is given a bicycle as means of transport. The FO is responsible for
maintenance of the bicycle. Breakdown of the bicycle is not an acceptable excuse for work
not done. The FO is given gumboots and a cap to identify him/her as the internal inspector.
Targets
Every year specific targets are set by the FS (number of farmers, yield, new practices
implemented, ICS work done on time). When achieved, the FO receives a bonus.
Confidentiality
All documents are confidential and should not be shared with any person without the consent
of the Field Supervisor. Information requests from outsiders are forwarded to the FS. The FO
shall assist buyers and/or inspectors of the certification body when they are visiting the
farmers. At that time, the FO shall answer questions, share information, show documents etc.
to facilitate the visit.
Further conditions
The Field Officer is not allowed to work for one year for another organic operator after
termination of his/her job, regardless who is to blame for the discontinuation of the
employment.
Date:
Signature of FO

Signature of Employer